Words Ending
in MENT
-MENT forms abstract nouns from verbs, meaning "the act or result of." PAYMENT (act of paying), MOVEMENT (act of moving), GOVERNMENT (act of governing). -MENT words tend to be 6–12 letters — great for Scrabble bingo plays and crossword fills.
What Does -MENT Mean?
The suffix -MENT comes from Latin -mentum and converts verbs into abstract nouns. It has three shades of meaning: the act of (MOVEMENT = the act of moving, PAYMENT = the act of paying), the result of (IMPROVEMENT = the result of improving, ACHIEVEMENT = the result of achieving), and the means/instrument of (ORNAMENT = something used to decorate, IMPLEMENT = something used to carry out). -MENT attaches to native English verbs (ENJOYMENT, SHIPMENT) and Latinate verbs (JUDGMENT, DOCUMENT) alike.
-MENT Words by Length
8-letter -MENT words
9-letter -MENT words
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the -MENT suffix mean?
-MENT comes from Latin -mentum and forms abstract nouns from verbs. It means "the act of" (MOVEMENT, PAYMENT), "the result of" (IMPROVEMENT, ACHIEVEMENT), or "the means of" (ORNAMENT, IMPLEMENT). -MENT attaches to both Old English verbs (ENJOYMENT, SHIPMENT) and Latinate verbs (JUDGMENT, DOCUMENT).
What are the highest-scoring -MENT words in Scrabble?
Top -MENT plays: PUZZLEMENT (26 pts — two Zs), ADJUSTMENT (22 pts), AMAZEMENT (21 pts), ENJOYMENT (18 pts). ENJOYMENT (18 pts) is the most commonly accessible tournament play. PUZZLEMENT is exceptional when you can build it from a double-Z rack.
What are the most common -MENT words?
Most common -MENT words: MOMENT, CEMENT, PAYMENT, ELEMENT, COMMENT, SEGMENT, MOVEMENT, ARGUMENT, DOCUMENT, JUDGMENT, AGREEMENT, AMENDMENT, AMUSEMENT, ENJOYMENT, STATEMENT, TREATMENT, ADJUSTMENT, ASSESSMENT, COMMITMENT, DEPARTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, IMPROVEMENT, MEASUREMENT, GOVERNMENT, ENVIRONMENT.
What is the difference between -MENT and -TION?
Both -MENT and -TION form abstract nouns from verbs, but they attach to different word types. -TION primarily attaches to Latinate verbs (CREATE → CREATION, EDUCATE → EDUCATION). -MENT attaches more broadly, including to native English verbs (ENJOY → ENJOYMENT, MOVE → MOVEMENT, PAY → PAYMENT). Both carry the same meaning — the act or result of the verb — just for different vocabulary classes.